--- title: Buddhism vs. The Church | Self, Suffering, Enlightenment description: Explore the similarities and differences with Buddhist beliefs, focusing on concepts of self, suffering, and enlightenment in a constantly changing world. --- [![The Church of the Holy](https://www.thechurchoftheholy.org/hs-fs/hubfs/The%20Church%20of%20the%20Holy%20logo.png?width=1855&height=2029&name=The%20Church%20of%20the%20Holy%20logo.png)Homepage](https://www.thechurchoftheholy.org?hsLang=en) - About - [Core Beliefs](https://www.thechurchoftheholy.org/beliefs?hsLang=en) - [FAQ](https://www.thechurchoftheholy.org/faq?hsLang=en) - [Newsletters & Quotes](https://www.thechurchoftheholy.org/newsletters-quotes?hsLang=en) - Religious Comparisons - [Christianity](https://www.thechurchoftheholy.org/christianity?hsLang=en) - [Judaism](https://www.thechurchoftheholy.org/judaism?hsLang=en) - [Buddhism](https://www.thechurchoftheholy.org/buddhism) - Library - [The Beginning Myth](https://www.thechurchoftheholy.org/genesis?hsLang=en) - [The Great Mother](https://www.thechurchoftheholy.org/mother?hsLang=en) - [The Two Paths](https://www.thechurchoftheholy.org/two-paths?hsLang=en) - [The Laws of Conscience](https://www.thechurchoftheholy.org/law?hsLang=en) - [The Living Scripture](https://www.thechurchoftheholy.org/canon?hsLang=en) - Gatherings - [Gathering Rituals / Events](https://www.thechurchoftheholy.org/liturgy?hsLang=en) - [Rites of Passage / Life Transitions](https://www.thechurchoftheholy.org/rituals?hsLang=en) - [The Work / Volunteering](https://www.thechurchoftheholy.org/mission?hsLang=en) - [Ministries / Clubs](https://www.thechurchoftheholy.org/ministries?hsLang=en) - Leadership - [Structure](https://www.thechurchoftheholy.org/ecclesiology?hsLang=en) - [Becoming Clergy](https://www.thechurchoftheholy.org/advancement?hsLang=en) - [Clergy & Trustees](https://www.thechurchoftheholy.org/clergy?hsLang=en) - [Clawgy / Animal Ministers](https://www.thechurchoftheholy.org/clawgy?hsLang=en) - [Saints / Guides](https://www.thechurchoftheholy.org/saints?hsLang=en) - Get Involved - [Donate](https://www.thechurchoftheholy.org/donate?hsLang=en) - [Volunteer](https://www.thechurchoftheholy.org/volunteer?hsLang=en) - [Partner](https://www.thechurchoftheholy.org/partner?hsLang=en) [Join the Community](https://www.thechurchoftheholy.org/membership?hsLang=en) - About - [Core Beliefs](https://www.thechurchoftheholy.org/beliefs?hsLang=en) - [FAQ](https://www.thechurchoftheholy.org/faq?hsLang=en) - [Newsletters & Quotes](https://www.thechurchoftheholy.org/newsletters-quotes?hsLang=en) - Religious Comparisons - [Christianity](https://www.thechurchoftheholy.org/christianity?hsLang=en) - [Judaism](https://www.thechurchoftheholy.org/judaism?hsLang=en) - [Buddhism](https://www.thechurchoftheholy.org/buddhism) - Library - [The Beginning Myth](https://www.thechurchoftheholy.org/genesis?hsLang=en) - [The Great Mother](https://www.thechurchoftheholy.org/mother?hsLang=en) - [The Two Paths](https://www.thechurchoftheholy.org/two-paths?hsLang=en) - [The Laws of Conscience](https://www.thechurchoftheholy.org/law?hsLang=en) - [The Living Scripture](https://www.thechurchoftheholy.org/canon?hsLang=en) - Gatherings - [Gathering Rituals / Events](https://www.thechurchoftheholy.org/liturgy?hsLang=en) - [Rites of Passage / Life Transitions](https://www.thechurchoftheholy.org/rituals?hsLang=en) - [The Work / Volunteering](https://www.thechurchoftheholy.org/mission?hsLang=en) - [Ministries / Clubs](https://www.thechurchoftheholy.org/ministries?hsLang=en) - Leadership - [Structure](https://www.thechurchoftheholy.org/ecclesiology?hsLang=en) - [Becoming Clergy](https://www.thechurchoftheholy.org/advancement?hsLang=en) - [Clergy & Trustees](https://www.thechurchoftheholy.org/clergy?hsLang=en) - [Clawgy / Animal Ministers](https://www.thechurchoftheholy.org/clawgy?hsLang=en) - [Saints / Guides](https://www.thechurchoftheholy.org/saints?hsLang=en) - Get Involved - [Donate](https://www.thechurchoftheholy.org/donate?hsLang=en) - [Volunteer](https://www.thechurchoftheholy.org/volunteer?hsLang=en) - [Partner](https://www.thechurchoftheholy.org/partner?hsLang=en) [Join the Community](https://www.thechurchoftheholy.org/membership?hsLang=en) # In Comparison to Buddhism ### Illusion of a Separate Self Buddhism's belief in Anatta (or the non-self, that the self is not actually separate from the whole, and that, when we die, we rejoin the whole) aligns with The Church's belief that the isolated ego is an illusion, and that we are inextricably woven into the fabric of the Creator. ### Impermanence Anicca (or the constant flux of the universe) is a foundational pillar in Buddhism. The Church also believes in the impermanence of everything and that integration and entropy are necessary to reach greater complexity. This is less of a belief than a law of nature. ### Interconnectedness Dependent Origination, a Buddhist belief that everything exists because of something else, is a view that The Church shares. We believe relationship is the foundation of the universe and life itself. We cannot be separated from billions of years of increasingly complex iterations in chemistry and biology, for example. What makes up life on Earth itself originated from supernovae and we are literally star-children. ### Enlightenment The Church's beliefs are somewhat different in regards to Enlightenment, as we view it as emerging from the darkness and into the Light. The Light is simply your authentic, true self, shed of the weight of everything that doesn't serve you. It is a process, something that is not one and done, but ongoing through life, as we are constantly in flux. The modern world expects us to maintain a rigid, unchanging identity, but we allow people to change. We do not expect you to be the same person you were years ago. Forgiveness of our past selves is necessary so we can hold ourselves accountable, heal, and grow. [mailto:hello@holychur.ch](mailto:hello@holychur.ch) Indigenous Acknowledgement *It’s important to acknowledge that the patterns and beliefs described—consciousness as relational, intelligence as distributed, nature as sentient—would not be revelations to many indigenous peoples worldwide. These truths have been maintained through oral traditions, lived practice, and direct relationship with the land for thousands of years.*  *As a Maine-based church, we honor the Wabanaki Confederacy—the Penobscot, Passamaquoddy, Maliseet, Micmac, and Abenaki peoples—upon whose unceded ancestral lands and waters we gather and practice.* *The suppression of indigenous wisdom and the severing of humans from land-based consciousness have been catastrophic. The Church of the Holy emerges from within that brokenness, attempting to rebuild bridges through the language of the culture that did the breaking.* **[Privacy Policy & Terms of Service](https://www.thechurchoftheholy.org/privacy-tos?hsLang=en)** · **[Legal](https://www.thechurchoftheholy.org/legal?hsLang=en)** · The Church of the Holy © 2026. All rights reserved.